ARTV: The Browning High Power Story
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- After World War I, the French military recognized the deficiencies it had with handgun supply and effectiveness during the war and sought to adopt a new, more-modern design. In 1921, it created a list of requirements for the Grande Puissance, or "High Power," service pistol. These requirements included compactness, effective accuracy and lethality out to 50 meters, a magazine capacity of at least 10 rounds, and a magazine disconnect device. One of the companies to take up the task of developing a design around these parameters was FN Herstal, with engineer Dieudonné Saive at the head of the project. Saive worked with John M. Browning, who had designed the successful M1911 U.S. service pistol and had previously worked extensively with FN, to develop a new semi-automatic pistol to fit the requirements.
Since the M1911 design was patented by Colt, Browning and Saive had to develop a new design that skirted around the patented features of Browning's earlier brilliance. The result was a pistol, chambered in 9 mm Luger, that fed from a double-stack detachable magazine, and used a simplified short-recoil action in which the slide and barrel traveled rearward together for a short distance during cycling. The new pistol was still in developments throughout the 1920s, and the French military held several trials and changed requirements. However, the French never placed an order in that decade, prolonging development. In 1926, John M. Browning died, leaving Saive to finish the development of the High Power.
In 1928, Colt's patent on the M1911 design expired, allowing Saive to incorporate some of Browning's earlier design features, with a final version of the High Power pistol being unveiled in 1934. In 1935, Belgium adopted the new design as its service pistol. The pistol proved to be a success, both militarily and commercially. During World War II, the design was used by both the Axis and Allies to a certain extent, with the Germans even adopting it into service and continuing its production at FN through the war. After the war, the High Power Design continued to prove popular, and was copied by several other manufacturers. Today, there are a great variety of High Power clones and variants produced and available on the market. these include examples like those produced by Tisas, the Springfield Armory SA-35 and even FN's own modern re-take and re-release of the design.
To watch complete segments of past episodes of American Rifleman TV, go to americanrifleman.org/artv. For all-new episodes of ARTV, tune in Wednesday nights to Outdoor Channel 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. EST.
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... I've heard that if you want to honk off a 1911 owner, tell them that John Browning developed the Hi - Power to correct the " imperfections " he had on the 1911! ...
I bought my Mark III back around 1987 and it has been by my side through the Rodney King Riots in LA working in a gun store, and competing in weekly IPSC club shoots. About 8 years ago I took it to Terry Tussey Gunsmithing for s trigger job and tune up. The mag disconnect got tossed, installed new sights, new hammer, polished the sear, made it very nice lighter trigger. Then I had it Cerakoted as the bluing has been worn off. About two years ago, Springfield came out with the SA35, their High Power copy. Since Browning is no longer making the BHP, i retired the BHP and used the SA35 as my 9mm single action pistol. Such a nice feeling pistol, proven and used by more countries than any other, used by top tier special ops teams like the British SAS, until they were shot out and they changed a few years ago. The FBI HRT team used Browning High Powers customized by Wayne Novak, until they had that Miami shootout and blamed rhr 9mm and went back to the 1911.
FBI accepted 9luger. Best cartridge design ever.
Interesting history. Great pistol. I've always enjoyed shooting them.
Mine is a Mark II, with its external extractor and tangent rear sight. It has never let me down or failed me.
Dieuidonne Saive's best known work is by far the FN-FAL
If you can find a FEG PJK-9HP, by all means, get it. Their PP/PPK clones aren't bad either
I loved my old high power, it had the mat black parkerized finish. It was so accurate and fit my hand like my, well it felt great.
if anyone was gonna be a fan of magazine disconnect safeties it was gonna be the french
"What is old is new again.
I have a silver chrome version from the 80s.
You can remove the magazine disconnect and improve the trigger.
Another company that also makes a Hi Power clone is Girsan. I got mine for 500.
Those are some very nice pistols.
2500 rounds through mine, cannot get it to fail. Had to remove that mag safety though.
"The French don't know what they want"
Such an underrated statement.
How many revolutions have they had?
I always heard the French translation of "Hi-Power" in this instance is closer in English to high capacity than it is to stopping power. I may be mistaken though because I don't speak the language.
would've been better chambered in the ideal and my favorite cartridge caliber, ie; the .40 s&w, but 180gr was always too heavy for the .40 s&w, great for the 10mm auto though, between 135gr minimum and 165gr maximum parameters is best, with 155gr/150gr bullet weight being ideal
180gr .40….. that’s what Glock’s were made for. 😅
1990’s Hi Powers were also made in .40
One of the finest pistols EVER , however Savage 32 acp pocket pistol used one
My gun 76 c
Tangent sight and Belgium made?
I brought one during Bicentinal cerberation fixed sight for $273.00 and gave to my father when I can not pay my American Express debt when I charged for speaker. My father passed away in 1996 and I requested the gun to be send via FFL to me. I still have it. I had shot less than 60 rounds.
ive acquired an early model by all info pre 1962. I have pics and serial number if anyone could give me some more background i would appreciate it. right now all roads lead to a dead end.
'promosm'
You are so wrong. FAG is the worst copy of the hi-power model